War zone image is disputed, debated by lawmakers

AUSTIN — Don't call it a war zone. Despite reports of violence on the Texas-Mexico border, the region is safe, according to a state senator from El Paso who claims the violence is hyped and unfairly tarnishes these communities.

In the face of steady drug-related violence as cartels battle for the borderlands, state Sen. José Rodríguez, D-El Paso, said the U.S. side of the border is not as grossly affected as is portrayed.

He takes exception to a report by former national drug czar and retired general Barry McCaffrey that offers a grim assessment of Mexico's drug war and its impact on border communities.

“Our concern is that we use language that is incendiary and that creates this climate of fear about border communities,” Rodríguez said Thursday at a Senate Transportation and Homeland Security hearing on border security. “That is not the reality of life on our side of the border,” he said. “That's just a fact.”

Much of the testimony included anecdotal stories about intimidation and violence along portions of the border and testy exchanges between Rodríguez and fellow lawmakers who, he notes, don't live there.

The hearing also produced a general consensus: The federal government is not doing its job to maintain border security and that security and immigration policies are inseparable.

State officials should set public policy with reports reinforced by facts and data instead of anecdotal observations, Rodríguez said.

Texas Agricultural Commissioner Todd Staples responded tersely: “We have more than testimony. We have pickups that are riddled with bullet holes.”

“I'm not ... going to put my head back in the sand and say, ‘oh, it's real safe around here. Things are pretty good.' There are many people who don't believe it, and I don't believe it,” she said.

Committee Chairman Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands, said some border area water districts have had to erect steel plates around their equipment to allow workers to maintain it without getting shot.

“I don't want to be whistling past the graveyard on this,” Williams said. “I'm telling you, we have a very serious problem.”

Alonzo Peña of the South Texas Property Rights Association, several sheriffs and ranchers told the committee the United States needs a comprehensive immigration policy as part of improved border security with a guest worker-type program so law enforcement can more easily distinguish between workers and criminals.

“They don't know if they're chasing hotel and construction workers or members of terrorist organizations,” he said. “With a legal process, through which those who are coming here to work are documented, the only ones left in the brush would be those who have no business here.”

Senate committee chairman Williams said he could not fix the country's broken immigration policy, “But I can make sure that we have the resources to protect our citizens,” he said. “And I will continue to fight to make sure you get what you need on that.”